Brake for street-cars.



(No Model.)

Patented Oct. I, l90l. W. T. SHRYOCK.

BRAKE FOR STREET cAns.

(Application filed :Aug. 8, 1900.) 2 Sheets-Shsot l.

No. 683,710. Patented, Oct. I, l90l.

W. T. SHRYOGK'I.

BRAKE FOB STREET CARS.

. (Application filed Aug. 8, 1901 (No Model.) 2 Shuts-Sheet 2.

witmeoom Tm: Noam: min: 110.. wanna" wnwqsmn. n.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM T. SHRYOOK, OF. ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

BRAKE FOR STREET-CARS.

$PIEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 683,710, dated October1, 1901.

Application filed August 8, 1900. Serial No. 26, 03. (No model.)

To all who/1t it may concern.-

Be it known that Ll/VILLIAM T. SHRYOCK, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny and Stateof Pennsylvania, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements inBrakes for Street-Cars, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements incar-brakes, and relates particularly to car-brake equalizers, and hasfor its object to provide means whereby the brake-shoes may be appliedunder equal pressure to each wheel of the truck.

The invention further aims to construct a brake of this characterwhereby the equalizer may be adjusted at the will of the operator,together with various details of construction, as will be hereinaftermore specifically described and then particularly pointed out in theclaims.

In describing the invention in detail reference is had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and whereinlike numerals of reference will be employed for designating like partsthroughout the several views, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinalsectional View through a part of a car-truck, showing a part of the carand my improved brake in position with the connecting-rods removed. Fig.2 is a top plan view of a part of a car-truck with my improved car-brakeequalizer in position. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective View oftheequalizing-lever. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view showing themanner of suspending the brake-shoes. Fig. 5 is a detail View of a partof one of the brake-beams and main lever with the brake-shoe in section.Fig. 6 is a perspective view of my improved brake detached from thetrack, also showing the equalizing-levers.

In the operation of car-brakes actuated by a main lever the efliciencyof the brakes is affected in case the main lever becomes sprung or whenthe brake-shoes become worn, particularly in the type of brake employed,which is that generally known as the Hubbard type. Thisapplication should be considered in connection with my former patent,No.

634,701, in which the objects of my invention were to shift the fulcrum-point of the active main lever against the forward pair ofwheels, while in the present application the braking stress upon therear pair of wheels is graduated between a maximum and minimum andequalization of pressure against both the front end bifurcated, as at4:, to receive and have secured therein the one end of the draft-rod 5.The other end of this draft-rod 5 is connected to a bell-crank 6, heldsupported in a bracket 7 from the underneath-face of the car body orplatform, said bell-crank having its other arm connected to a rack-lever8, extending up through the car-platform. This rack-lever 8, bell-crank,and the draft-rod just described regulate the position of thewedge-block 3, as it will be observed that by forcing the racklever 8downwardly the horizontal arm of the bell-crank is depressed at itsouter end and the vertical arm thereof is moved forwardly in thedirection the car is moving, moving the draft-rod in the same direction,together with the end at of the equalizing-lever, and moving thewedge-block 3 rearwardly of the direction in which the car is moving,the objects of which will be hereinafter further dwelt upon. Suspendedfrom the underneath face of the car body or upon and in front of thecross-bar 1 of the truck is a grip-horn 9, on which is suspended ahorizontal lever 10, which being suspended from its center has its oneend connected to a thrust-arm 11, both ends of which are bifurcated, oneend connecting with the lever 10 and the other end with the gooseneckmain lever 12. The other end of the lever 10 is connected to a shortdraft-rod 14, having mounted in its free end a pulley 15. Thebrake-chain 16 is connected to the spindle of the brake-staff 17 andpasses over the pulley 15, being returned forwardly toward thebrake-staff, with the other end thereof connected to an auxiliarydraft-rod 18,operating through a bracket 19, suspended from theunderneath face of the car-platform, and on its forward end thisauxiliary draft-rod 18 carries a nut and washer 20 and has arrangedbetween the washer and the bracket a resistance-spring 21.

It will of course be understood that two mainlevers are employed, onefor each end of the truck, and in practice one of these1eversisgenerally termed the ddrmant lever and the other the activelever. In the showing herein made in Figs. 1 and 2 but one of the leversis illustrated, and we assume that the same is the dormant one, and, asherein shown, this lever is resting upon the wedgeblock of theequalizing-lever 2. This main lever, which is of the gooseneck form, isadapted to receive the brake-beam 22 at a point near the lower end ofthe lever, this beam being provided on its ends, as in general practice,with gudgeons 23 to receive the brake-shoes 24. In Fig. 4: I show howthese brake-shoes are suspended by a hanger 25 from the truck, which isthe general form of construction. This hanger is pivotally attached tothe brake-shoe or to the shoe-back at its lower end, and at its upperend is pivotally attached to the truck. In some instances, however, whatis known as the elastic hanger is employed, which could be used inconnection with my construction of brake, or these hangers may be ofother form of construction than that I have shown and described, as theparticular construction of these hangers is not essential to theoperation of my brake. At its lower end the gooseneck or main levercarries a short arm 26, which is pivotally connected by theconnecting-rod 27 to a hanger 27', carried by the front brake-beam. Inthe present illustration, the gooseneck being applied adjacent to therear right-hand wheel, the connectingrod 27 connects with the hanger 27on the front brake-beam adjacent to the right-hand front Wheel, and theactive gooseneck or main lever, which is applied adjacent to theleft-hand front Wheel, connects with a hanger 28 on the rear brake-beamadjacent to the left-hand rear wheel, these hangers 27 28' on eachbrake-beam corresponding to the short arms 26, carried by the twogoosenecks or main levers, which principle will be readily understood.

In operation the active lever, it will be understood, is the-one at thefront of the truck that is, the lever at the front in the direction thetruck is moving. The equalizing-lever 2 is moved by the rack 8,bell-crank 6, and draft-rod 5, so that the wedge-block 3 is moved fromunder the top of said lever and the latter rests in its normal positionon top of the cross-bar 1, the arc travel of such lever being, ofcourse, greater when in this normal position than when the wedge-blockis in under the lever. .At the same time the doress,710

mant lever has the wedge-block in under the same, holding the short arm26 of the dormant lever more nearly in the vertical line or approachinga right angle with reference to the connecting-rod 27, bringinga'greater braking stress against the rear wheels. The are travel ofpoint at which the connectingrod 27 is attached to the short arm 29 ofthe active lever is longer when the top end of said lever lies in itsnormal position than when the wedge is placed under or against it,because the changing of that point of hearing varies the distancebetween two extreme points of efficiency in the said lever. Toillustrate this clearly, I have drawn an imaginary line 28 from thecentral line of the rear brake-beam to the point of contact of theconnecting-rod 27 at the hanger of the front brake-beam. The shifting ofpoint 29 with reference to this line 28 increases or decreases thepressure at the wheel, the wedge shape of the block 3 providing for thisgraduation of the position of the short arm 26.

It will be observed that in the construction of brake shown anddescribed the brake-shoes of the front brake-beam are drawn under thewheel, but in the same direction in which the Wheel is moving, havingthe efiect of drawing the pins and gudgeons for connecting up the brakethrough the lost motion to a hearing and holding the same at this pointuntil the strain on the draft-rod is released. This will be evident,because the long end of the lever to which the draft-rod is attached isover the front brake-beam, while on the rear brakebeam the arms to whichthe connecting-rods are attached are under the beam and the effect isdirectly contrary to that of the front beam, having an upward tendency,or in the same direction in which the wheels are turning. Therefore whendraft is made upon the long end of the main lever and through the agencyof the connecting-rods all pins and gudgeons used in the connections aredrawn through the lost motion and held to a bear ing, thereby preventingclimbing or bucking of the shoes, which is common where two oppositeforces are employed for actuating the brakes.

The equalizing-lever at the front of the car, or, in other words, theleverat the end of the car in the direction in which said car is moving,is always disengaged or removed from in under the main lever, while theequalizinglever at the rear end of the car is at such time engaged underthe main lever. The main lever therefore at the front of the car is theacting active lever and the main lever at the rear of the car is theacting dormant lever, the lever at the front of the car always being theacting active lever and the one at the rear of the car always being theacting dormant lever. The showing in Fig. 1 illustrates the actingdormant lever, the lever at the opposite end of the car (not shown)being the acting active one,or, in other words, the car as shown in Fig.1 is moving to the left.

It will be noted that various changes may be made in the details ofconstruction without departing from the general spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a car-brake, the combination with the brake-beams, each having ahanger, a gooseneck main lever connected to each brake-beam and providedwith a hanger corresponding to the hanger on each brake-beam, andconnecting-rods attached at one end to the hanger of the main lever andat the other end to the hanger carried by the brake-beam,of anequalizing-lever supported from the car-truck and adjustably engagingthe upper end of the main lever for varying the position of said dormantmain lever.

2. In a car-brake, the combination with the brake-beams, and the rodsconnecting said beams,of a main lever connected to each beam, the leverconnected to one beam being dormant when the lever connected to theother beam is active, and an equalizing-lever carrying means forengagement with the dormant lever for varying the position of saiddormant lever, substantially as described.

3. In a carbrake, the brake-beams and the rods connecting said beams,combined with a main lever connected to each beam, the lever connectedto one beam. being dormant when the lever connected to the opposite beamis active, an equalizing-lever for each main lever, and means foradjusting the position of said levers whereby the position of thedormant main lever may be varied, substantially as described.

4. In a car-brake, the combination with the brake-beams, the shoescarried thereby, and the rods connecting said beams, of a main leverconnected to each brake-bean1,means connected to each main lever foroperating the same, an equalizing-lever for each main lever, one of saidmain levers being dormant when the other is active, the equalizing-leverfor the dormant lever being in engagement therewith and theequalizing-lever for the active lever being out of engagement with saidlever during the time it remains as the active lever, substantially asdescribed.

5. In a car-brake, the combination with the brake-beams, the shoescarried thereby, and the rods connecting said beams, of a main leverconnected to each brake-beam, one of said levers being dormant when theother is active, means for operating the levers, and an equalizing leverfor each main lever, the equalizing-lever for the dormant main leverbeing in engagement with the said dormant main lever, and theequalizing-lever for the acting active lever being out of engagementtherewith, substantially as described.

(3. In car-brakes, two main operating-levers adapted to be operatedindependently and one of which is adapted to remain dormant when theother is active, combined with an equalizing lever for each main lever,the equalizing-1ever for the dormant main lever being in engagementtherewith when the said lever is acting as the dormant main lever, andthe equalizing-lever for the acting main lever being out of engagementtherewith.

7. In car-brakes, two main operating-levers adapted to be operatedindependently and one of which is adapted to remain dormant when theother is active, combined with an equalizing-lever for each main lever,the one equalizing-lever adapted to graduate the position of the actingdormant main lever by engagement with said dormant main lever, and theother equalizing-lever being out of engagement with the acting activemain lever, substantially as described.

8. In acar-brake, the combination with the brake-beams and thebrake-shoes, of rods connecting the brake-beams and adapted when thebrake-shoes are applied to move in the direction thetruck is moving, amain lever connected to each brake-beam for operating the same, one ofsaid levers being dormant during the time the other is serving as theactive lever, and an equalizing-lever for each main lever, theequalizing-lever for the acting dormant main lever being in engagementwith the said dormant main lever, and the equalizing-lever for theacting active lever being out of engagement therewith, substantially asdescribed.

9. In a car-brake, the combination with the brake-beams andbrake-shoes,of rods connecting the brake-beams and adapted when thebrake-shoes are applied to move in the same direction as the truck ismoving, a main lever connected to each brake-beam, one of said leversbeing normally active and the other normally dormant, the active leverwhen actuated moving in theopposite direction to that in which the truckis moving, and an equalizing lever for each main lever, theequalizing-lever for the acting dormant main lever being in engagementtherewith, and the equalizing lever for the acting active main leverbeing out of engagement with said active lever, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twoWitnesses.

WILLIAM T. SHRYOOK.

\Vitnesses:

JOHN NOLAND, H. O. EVERT.

